Bush, GOP Rebuke House Democrats on Surveillance Bill

House Democrats left Washington today for a week-long recess without taking action on a terrorist surveillance bill set to expire Friday night, drawing theatrical protests from congressional Republicans and a sharp rebuke from President Bush.

The decision by Democratic leaders to ignore Bush's call for immediate action sets up a high-profile standoff over national security, and the battle lines of that debate were established during today's heated partisan volleys in Congress. Tensions over the surveillance law were further exacerbated by the House's approval of contempt citations against one current and one former Bush administration official.

At a hastily convened press briefing on the South Lawn, Bush said he would delay his planned trip to Africa this weekend if he is needed in the capital to work on or sign a surveillance bill.

"I urge congressional leaders to let the will of the House and the American people prevail and vote on the Senate bill before adjourning for their recess," Bush said. "Failure to act would harm our ability to monitor new terrorist activities and could re-open dangerous gaps in our intelligence."

Echoing Bush's criticisms, House Republicans staged a full day of protests on the House floor, beginning with a controversial procedural vote called during a memorial service for the late Rep. Tom Lantos (D-Calif.) and culminating in Republicans walking out of the chamber en masse during a vote on contempt of Congress citations against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers. Republicans complained throughout the day that Democrats were taking up partisan legislation rather than working to complete a bill vital to national security.

But Democrats are refusing to budge, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said that while key committee chairmen would stay in Washington to keep working on the issue, the rest of the House would be going home today.

And because Bush has the constitutional authority to call the House back into session "on extraordinary occasions," the chamber will go into symbolic "pro forma" sessions rather than adjourn for the week. Senate Democrats have used similar sessions to prevent Bush from making controversial executive branch nominations during that chamber's recesses.

Since the Senate passed its own version of the surveillance law Tuesday, House Democrats have engaged in a fierce internal debate over how to proceed. They have become stuck on the question of whether to provide immunity to telecommunications companies that provided help to the government in surveillance operations.

Hill Republicans and Bush want the House to simply pass the Senate bill, but House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said yesterday his chamber is "not a lap dog of the president or the United States Senate any more than they are of us."

And Pelosi reiterated that point today and accused Bush of "fearmongering" on the issue.

"President Bush tells the American people he has nothing to offer but fear," she said.

An effort to extend the existing Protect America Act for another 21 days failed decisively on the House floor Thursday, surprising Democratic leaders, who immediately made the case that they could go home for the break without getting a new law enacted.

Democrats have been laying the groundwork for this move all week, putting out documents like this one to bolster the argument that the GOP is playing politics with the issue and that national security will not be imperiled if the current surveillance law lapses.

House Democrats are getting support for their decision from across the Capitol. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) sent Bush a letter today saying that Democrats "stand ready to negotiate a final bill," and that "there is no crisis that should lead you to cancel your trip to Africa."

"I regret your reckless attempt to manufacture a crisis over the reauthorization of foreign surveillance laws," Reid wrote. "Instead of needlessly frightening the country, you should work with Congress in a calm, constructive way to provide our intelligence professionals with all needed tools while respecting the privacy of law-abiding Americans."

But Republicans continued to fire back. Referring to the issue of immunity, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said, "I hope the evidence does not develop that there are decisions being made in the House of Representatives on the basis of the interests of special interest groups like trial lawyers who stand to gain financially from continuing to block this litigation."

House Intelligence Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) suggested that the pending expiration of the surveillance bill was ultimately the fault of the Senate GOP for stalling the debate until the last minute in that chamber.

"It was the administration working with Senate Republicans to try to jam us, and it's not going to work," Reyes said.

I am unhappy that Bush claims that Democrats are holding up a critical security bill because he wants immuntiy for telecoms that may have broken the law per his adminstration's directions.
Hold your ground!
It's not like the work can't get done WITH warrants...

Contempt Citations against Miers and Bolton was a better use of Congressional time. The ill conceived FISA bill in ANY of its current forms are unconstitutional. Not to mention that passage aids and abets criminals.

I prefer that Congress prosecutes criminals rather than align themselves with them.

"I urge congressional leaders to let the will of the House and the American people prevail and vote on the Senate bill before adjourning for their recess," Bush said

If you really want the will of Americans to prevail, Then DO NOT!~ pass this stupid Unconstitutional Bill. Hold Bush and Cheney accountable for their theif of of our Constitutional Rights. Hold the Corporation's accountable for their theif of American rights. No one is above the law, not even the President of the United States. Don't make us vote you out of office...We want out country back!!!

Could it finally be possible? that Congress finally got enough backbone to say no to Bush and his little Nazi group? He keeps stating that this spying is what America wants. He is just nuts! He has no clue or does he care what the American citizen wants. He needs to go to africa and with a little luck, stay there and screw up there country. Except he knows they wouldn't put up with his lies and traitorism for a second. I hope Congress continues to stand up to this traitor. It has only taken 7 + years so far for the spoiled brat to have someone say no to him

"I urge congressional leaders to let the will of the House and the American people prevail and vote on the Senate bill before adjourning for their recess," Bush said. "Failure to act would harm our ability to monitor new terrorist activities and could re-open dangerous gaps in our intelligence."

1. Bush does not speak for me. He speaks for less than 30% of Americans according to the polls.

2. The Fear card, and the Fear face, and the Fear father thing only makes me think he has something up his sleeve, like another 911 to scare us all into martial law.

3. The House is courageously standing their ground. Thank you to Pelosi and Reid, no matter what type of blackmail Bush profers, I would say risk it all to defy this single individual and those he represents, to pass the right law, not one that will protect elite global corporate interests.

4. Dangerous Gaps? Think back to 911 - who was guilty of dangerous gaps? Sadly it is Bush and Rice and Cheney who only cares if it is 1% possible then it is so. Marc Grossman where are you? Feith where are you? Perle where are you? Right behind your guys, Mitch McConnell stands right there too.

5. Gates - lap dog for Bush and the Military.

6. Vote - there is a novel concept, a government democracy that gets to vote the will of the people, not the will of a single individual who happens to be President for 10 more months.

In a less biased newspaper, the headline would be that the House grew a pair and refused to let Bush bully it for the sake of his co-conspirators, the telecom industry. It's not like anyone who really wants to protect us can't get a warrant. And any president who really cared about our national security would threaten a veto if immunity for past law breaking isn't included in the package. The only person Bush is interested in protecting is Bush.

Bush bin Laden 'would delay his planned trip to Africa this weekend if he is needed in the capital to' make sure his spying telecom paymasters are protected.
The most dangerous terrorists on earth are Dictator Bush and Cheney Halliburton.
Cheers,
Lori R. Price
Mgr., Citizens For Legitimate Governmenthttp://www.legitgov.org/

The only democrats that want to give Immunity to the telecoms call themselves BlueDog Democrats, but are commonly referred to as the BushDog Democrats because of the Lieberman like voting records, voting along with the Republican'ts.

Bush can go on his trip because the Dems may have finally decided to take that long awaited stand for the People and Rule of Law.

Mr. Bush can bully Congress all he wants. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act prescribes the means through which he may legally wiretap U.S. citizens and foreigners to thwart terrorists. The Constitution proscribes unwarranted searches and seizures. The 9/11 attacks did not amend the Constitution, which the President has sworn to uphold. In the 21st century, apparently, an oath is so much babble from the mouth of a demigod. Or is that demagogue? I'll bet George would like to be worshipped.

No mention in the article that the reason the extension failed is because the Republicans refused to vote for it? It appears that the GOP wants to ramrod a law through without any real discussion. If it is that important to stop terrorist, then why not allow an extension and take the time to get the law right? Just who is playing politics? And where are all the pundits de-crying the lack of Republican bi-partisanship?

I can't recall the last time that I was actually proud of anything that happened in the US congress. It is about time that they did something not for self serving political gain but for "We the people".

One can only hope that the spineless Pelosi and Hoyer gather enough courage to oppose the constant trampling of our rights. This is the United States which for over 200 years has survived every challenge to the foundations of our constitution. We can only hope and pray that the Democrats hold steady against the bullying of the Republicans.

For once, I would like to see the Democrats hold firm on an issue, rather than caving in to Republican BS about making illegal surveillance means legal. This President and his acolytes have continually frightened Congress and the American people into allowing the theft of individual privcacy rights in the name of a nebulous terrorist war. Of course there are those who would harm us, but is it right to take away the personal freedoms of good Americans in this cause. My answer would be no. President Bush, Vice-President Cheney and the rest of the Neo-Cons view of the world as American enemies
demands control of all information, dangerous or not. Everyone is a suspect and everyone is considered a potential terrorist under this Administration. Probable cause has no place in their view of American citizens as well as aliens. I do not want my privacy invaded by people with a mindset such as exists in the Bush Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security. Mine is not the voice of a radical. I served in Viet Nam and fought for the rights of the American People as well as myself. I will be so glad when this President and his henchmen no longer inhabit the White House. I don't know if the Democrats have all the answers, but at least they consider other answers.

Immunity to telecommunications companies should be a NON-STRATER!! HANG TUFF DEMOCRATS. THE US SENATE ABANDONED "WE THE PEOPLE" WE HOPE THE US HOUSE REMEMBERS THAT "WE THE PEOPLE" ARE THE BOSS & NOT TELECOMMS!!

I don't believe you.
I don't believe spying on Americans without a warrant keeps us safe.
I don't believe torture keeps us safe.
I don't believe outing the covert CIA agent Valerie Plame who was working on stopping Iran's weapons of mass distruction, and her cover organization Brewster Jennings keeps us safe.
I don't believe lying in the State of The Union speech about WMD's has kept us safe.
I don't believe invading Iraq has made us safe.
I don't believe alienating our global allies has kept us safe.

I don't believe bush, rove, cheney, libby, bolton, or their henchmen have kapt us safe.

What I want to know is why we haven't seen Hoyer's document on Bush's politics playing reproduced anywhere in the press? We find it only buried in a link in a blog. It should be plastered on page 1 of the newspapers. There's a whole lot of the American public that I don't think really gets or understands just how much Bush is playing this. They need to have it spelled out for them so that his duplicity can be fully appreciated.

If Bush wants to postpone his trip, let him. If the war on terror is the greatest threat to our nation in it's history, as Bush and his accomplises say when ever they need more money for Haliburton or Blackwater. Why is the protection of multi-national telecoms from illegal wire-tapping lawsuits more important than passing a spending bill for our troops? This malignant Coward Bush belongs on death row, not on Air Force 1. The GOP showed their true colors today. Corporations 1st, America's troops and our saftey way down their list of priorities. America can not afford anymore weak knee'd phony patriot neo-cons. VOTE VOTE

Good for the Dems. Now wait for the Post to sternly wag its finger at them in some neo-con editorial penned by Hiatt and Co. If the Dems look beyond the braindead D.C. establishment, the country is for them. Resist Bush.

ALL RIGHT!!!!!!!!! WAY TO GO STENY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the backbone I've been waiting to see. Though the Senate Dems are in on the fix, it looks like the House might actually do what they were elected to do.

Lots of good observations above. This morning I was pondering a simple three-finger test for members of the House and Senate to use when voting on a bill:

1) Does it protect the civil liberties of the American people? (Notice I put this one first.)
2) Is it what my constituents want? After all, I was elected to represent them, not to act out my own power fantasies.
3) Does it DEMONSTRABLY protect the country?

If you can't answer "yes" to all three of those, vote no on it.

Notice "Does GWB want me to give him what he wants? is not on my list.

As for Deadeye Dick Cheney, he doesn't need a three-finger test. One finger is sufficient.

Congratulations to Steny Hoyer for finally growing a pair, after a quarter of a century in office.

Now that the Republicans have walked out, could they walk over and into the Potomac? I'm sick of this illegal so-called president and Republican Congressional enablers. The only thing Bush is trying to protect is himself and his friends from prison.

FINALLY, the Democratic members of the House grew a backbone! The American people are behind you on this! Ha! They left ol' Georgie in the lurch holding his "pen." Too bad the Senate Dems are runnin' scared . . . it's time they stand up to this authoritarian administration and its neocon lackeys.

Finally, finally, finally! Congratulations to those few brave leaders in Congress who have the fortitude to stand up to this President and all of his bullying. They are performing a politically difficult task, and they should be rewarded for it. If only others could be so courageous.

I just called Cong. Conyers office and Cong. Reyes office to thank them for standing up to Bush and the republicans. This bill was for the telco that helped Bush break the law. He said that he would veto any bill that didn't have it, so guess what, he won't have a bill to veto. Scr*w him.

"An effort to extend the existing Protect America Act for another 21 days failed decisively on the House floor Thursday, surprising Democratic leaders, who immediately made the case that they could go home for the break without getting a new law enacted."

So the Republicans blocked the extension, and then walked out of the House the next day whining that the Democrats are at fault. Where is this in your story? Doesn't it fit with your agenda, Pershing?

For the Democrats, their action in going home is both bad politics and bad governance.
It makes them look like they care more for taking some time off then doing the hard work they were elected to accomplish. It would have been better if they had temporarily extended the current law and forced the President (who didn't support such an temporary extension)to veto it. Then it would have arguably made the President look like the one who was leaving America without a security law to protect the country because he didn't get everything he asked for.
This way, it is Congress that looks AWOL on national security and who is more interested in time off than hard work. I suspect the Congress will lose a few more points in the polls.

Good for Nancy Pelosi. I didn't think she had the courage to oppose the Royal will of this President and his republican acolytes. Bush and company have flourished by threatening and cajoling and furthermore by instilling fear on the haples population. Its time that this democratic House sends them packing. Lets kick these Republicans our of office for the disservice that they have brought upon America. And I hope that voters have a longer memory than in the recent past to restore many of the rights that have been lost by the perfidy and corruption of this republican right.

Wasn't it the Republicans that locked Democrats out of meetings when the GOP had the Majority? They did. Boehner is a classless fraud. They have proven that Corporate interests are of much more value to the GOP than the troops or the security of the American people. They should be ashamed, but shame is not a quality that most of the GOP possess

The President is playing strong cards here. Imagine the disappointment of the Africans should he fail to show up or the annoyance of the Democrats should he remain in the US. Additionally, because of budget constraints, I believe the Africa trip would be one-way, surely something the Congressional majority wouldn't want to hinder.

To all those who continue to defend this corrupt GOP and president: Are you still proud?

National security, my (fanny). These Congressmen who walked out walked away from the truth. Scum like Boehner and his fellow robotic ilk are terrified of what Miers and Bolton will say if they were forced to testify.

Shame on these people -- shame, shame, shame!
Red state voters, WAKE UP!

The house is leaving without extending Bush's useless and illegal wiretapping law and not exempting telecommunications companies from violating our civil rights. They also filed contempt charges against two former Bush staffers who have ignored subpoeanas. It's almost seems like they might do the job we eleceted them to do.

Just shoot the bastard and get over with it. Life is so wonderful, don't let him or his minions stain it. But first tear down the media, non-reporting what was necessary, and start with Foxnews, WAPO and BBC, and don't forget Microsoftnews.

"Thank you for joining your fellow Republicans in leaving the House Chamber today. It made it much easier for the House to issue contempt citations against Harriet Miers and Josh Bolton, who have defied House subpoenas.

"If you stay away long enough, maybe we'll get a FISA bill that protects our Constitutional rights instead of protecting the possibly criminal behavior of the telecoms and the White House."

in effect, the only thing that is really holding up the passage of this bill is the portion concerning giving telecommunication companies immunity from lawsuits, during the period before congress knew that spying was being done without warrants. there will be absolutely no gap in the security of the country in the event of an extended period of resolution. much of this sounds like the propaganda initiated by the administraton before the invasion of iraq, when weapons of mass destruction posed an imminent threat to the United States. what is surprsing is how congress has endorsed many of the unconstitional practices of the present administration. in question is the very legality of such endorsments. constitionally, at least to this writer, the present law would not be legal, whether practiced in secret, or passed by congress. one has to question whether the president and lawmakers really represent and uphold the constitution of the country they represent.

How screwed up is it that Republicans will stage a walkout because Democrats are holding up the ability for government to spy on all of us?????? It's hard to Republicans are so willing to usher in George Orwell's 1984ish big brother authoritarianism, but I guess if you're always scared to death of terrorists, you'll quash your ethics, morals, and intelligence in a frantic bid to save yourself. It's a shame they're not made of stronger stuff - yet another indicator of why the GOP is going to lose even more Congressional seats as well as the general election this Fall...

Millions and millions of commentators, should engage in an armed march to Washington, and kill whatever is obstructing them. The time of writing is over, show your balls and guts and get them and hang them all over Washington trees. Air the bodies, as a warning to the rest of the thugs that terrorizes a beautiful mankind. And don't forget to attack the media and the moviestars and the banks and the corporatists and the think tanks etc. The more casualties and hangs the better the example. Put a sign on every hanging body with a name, major crime committed and the text "Our lives matters".

If the telecoms didn't break the law, why then are they, and the Bush Administration, so desperate to receive immunity? Everyone, especially Republicans, should be concerned about their government unlawfully wiretapping it's citizens.

Congratulations to the Congress!! I'm proud of you for FINALLY ignoring Bush.

President Bush cares about the welfare of the American people the same way that Putin cares about Russians and Calderon cares about Mexicans - meaning that we are a population to manipulate and exploit for the benefit of a few powerful families.

Yea, and when terrorists hit us again the stupid dems will all blame the president! They are all a bunch of stupid pacifists whose only desire is to help the terrorists and proclaim political correctness. Tell that crap to the familes who lost loved ones on 9/11, you stupid neo dems.

Congratulations to the Hose. It's about time.
As for ancient_mariner, he'll probably get a letter from his Congressperson thanking him for his support. Best I can figure from the letters I have received from my Republican Congressman is that he and his staff don't understand sarcasm.

This is a terrorists' dream - obl is sitting in his cave watching the clinton news network and laughing at us!
THE DEMOCRAPS HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO PROTECT THIS COUNRY, WHICH IS WHY THEY WILL NEVER HAVE POWER BACK!

What a bunch of grandstanding losers. The Republicans have so totally screwed everything up, I can't wait till they're thrown out of government by a increasingly angry electorate. I guess anyone who believes in the Constitution of the USA is an islamo-fascist loving surrender monkey.

Ah Ha! Finally! Pelosis is growing a pair! Perhaps the fact that the people powered surge removed corporate incumbent Al Wynn made her realize that the accountability train is coming changed her mind. This is the last chance that pelosi and her democrats can stop this illegal act from passing. Now lets see if she can hold those blue dog democrat traitors in line until we can get rid of them by our vote!

Horray for the House Democrats! Finally, some real moral authority and gumption. They should fight Bush tooth and nail on this one, and never give Bush and telecomms immunity for their past lawlessness. Finally, representatives who are really representing the will of the American people.

How pathetic Bush's bullying with the false claim that the American people are behind him in his criminality. That thug should have been impeached long ago for these crimes against the American citizens, and he has the audacity to now be demanding retroactive imminity. May Bush rot in hades, the one place he belongs.

"House Republicans walked out of the chamber today during a vote on contempt of Congress citations against White House chief of staff Josh Bolten and former White House counsel Harriet Miers, complaining that Democrats were taking up partisan legislation rather than completing work vital to national security."

(The House subsequently voted 222 to 30 to hold Bolten and Miers in contempt.)

231 Democrats, 198 Republicans

Why didn't the House Republicans show their displeasure with their vote on the floor? If it's seen as partisan legislation, it seems 9 Democrats passed on the vote, but 163 Republicans passed on the vote. Isn't that why they're there?

"I hope the evidence does not develop that there are decisions being made in the House of Representatives on the basis of the interests of special interest groups like trial lawyers who stand to gain financially from continuing to block this litigation."

WHAT??? A republican talking about "special interest groups"???? That is absolutely laughable....LOL

There can be no immunity for crimes that the telecom companies have committed. It's as simple as that. If Bush is so concerned about the need to continue this surveillance, then he should ask congress to remove that part of the bill that gives immunity.

He is using fear tactics to give telecoms immunity and, by extension, himself immunity for grave crimes that they have committed. The democrats in congress must not buckle. They need to show some back-bone - for once!!!

Democowards are incredible, this country is at war and we are in a fight to protect American lives and the coward democrats want to do nothing more than stick their head in the sand and hide. Years ago in this country Democowards believed in a strong defense system for this country, to include men like Franklin Roosevelt, however, todays democowards are nothing more than a bunch of Berkley communists who refuse to lift a finger to do anything to defend the folks in this country. Democrats should be ashamed of themselves, they are the reason we had 9/11. Hillary and Barack would rather have their pictures with terrorist like Yasser Arafat then do anything to defend this country. Democowards PATHETIC.

Chimpy ignored 40 warnings and let 9-11 happen. Chimpy let Bin Laden escape twice, once at Tora Bora and again in 2005. Chimpy nearly abandoned the Afghanistan fight against the Taliban and Al Quaeda in order to invade the wrong country, Iraq.

This is not about the war on terror. This is about whether the President can ignore the Constitution and do warrantless wiretaps of Americans. This is about whether an unconstitutional ex post facto law can be passed to protect telecoms.

We can fight the war on terror without destroying the Constitution. But you Repukes are too stupid to understand that.

You say: "the question of whether to provide immunity to telecommunications companies that provided help to the government in surveillance operations."

This is more than a little bit misleading, in that it omits the crux of the issue: that the help offered by the telecoms to the government was help in knowingly breaking the law of the land, in contravention of their contracts with american citizens.

To grant the telecoms immunity for acting as government agents in the unlawful surveillance of protected communications of U.S. persons inside the United States strikes at the foundations of the rule of law in this country.

I whole heartedly support the Democrats on this move. President Bush and the Republicans in Congress keep trying to make the Democrats in Congress look bad every time the Democrats say wait a minute - we need to have a discussion on this or that issue. Congress must never become a rubber stamp for the President automatically doing whatever the President wants, that is not what I call a democratic system of governtment.
Be Informed PEOPLE, Get Informed.

"Let me be clear: Our ability to track and monitor terrorists overseas would not cease should the Protect America Act expire. If this were true, the president would not threaten to terminate any temporary extension with his veto pen. All surveillance currently occurring would continue even after legislative provisions lapsed because authorizations issued under the act are in effect up to a full year."
- Richard Clarke, Former Chief NSC Counterterrorism Advisor
under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, 2/1/08

"I urge congressional leaders to let the will of the House and the American people prevail and vote on the Senate bill before adjourning for their recess,"

Since when does Bush give a D**n about what
the American people want? US citizens want
our privacy restored and and don't want our
telephone conversations spied upon without
a warrant giving a good reason for the
snooping.

Cruce Salus, while you're telling the Dems how stupid they are, ask your buddy Bush why he let Bin Ladens family leave the U.S. shortly after 9-11 and why he hasn't spent much time thinking about Bin Laden. It's so nice that the families of the WTC victims have gotten no justice since Bush entered office.

Finally, I get to say that I'm proud of the Democrats. I am so tired of Bush's fearmongering and it is an insult to this country. I'm tired of Bush's version of bipartisanship which is do it my way or I'll throw a tantrum and call you soft on terror. I just hope that the House stands firm and doesn't give in to Bush on FISA. The telcoms were spying on Americans before 9/11 on behalf of Bush. The only reason Bush and Cheney are seeking immunity for the telcoms is to protect themselves from prosecution. Only Qwest was smart enough to follow the law and look what happened to them. Bush made sure they suffered for standing up to his reign of terror.

It's time Congress began acting like an equal branch of government. Let the Republicans act like spoiled children. Democrats need to stand up for the rule of law and the Constitution. It's what the people want and frankly what we and the country expect.

Almost forgot, those telcoms that Bush and Cheney want to give immunity to. Great patriots that they are they shut down FISA wiretaps because the government failed to pay the bills. Yep, they definately need immunity since if Bush is to be believed (fat chance), shutting down those wiretaps could have caused an attack that would have killed millions of Americans.

Its about time that the "CHICKEN" Congress do something to bring in line the Executive. Congress has lots of power but I guess it has demonstrated that it does not know how to use it Or perhaps the Bush administration has found hidden skeletons House and Senators have and they are afraid he may "Leak" them to the press just as his administration leaked the name of an CIA Operative which was illegal and borderline "TREASON"

So what is going to be Congress? Have you learned how to play HARD BALL? Or are you guys a bunch of wanna be Pretenders?"
If you are not for Real well guess what? This president has demonstrated he is a BULL (In all senses) and is for real.. not back down..

So lets the game begin and see who will blink first.
As Shameful as this may sound.. my money is with the President... So..
where is yours??

The President and his penchant for secrecy and federalist elitism knows no boundary. It makes me sad as I remember my youth, a time when I lived in a country 'Of the People and For the People.' Now we live in a country ruled by the few and for the few. We would all do well to read up on Federalism and then bring up President Bush's quote during his recent mid-east visit when he said he was not expecting the mid-east nations to embrace jeffersonian democracy, but could hope. Jefferson, as we must all remember from school, was the advocate and driving force between the elitist federalism form of government. Happily it was put in its place in lieu of a government by and for the people. A sad time for all loyal Americans, this.

The President and his penchant for secrecy and federalist elitism knows no boundary. It makes me sad as I remember my youth, a time when I lived in a country 'Of the People and For the People.' Now we live in a country ruled by the few and for the few. We would all do well to read up on Federalism and then bring up President Bush's quote during his recent mid-east visit when he said he was not expecting the mid-east nations to embrace jeffersonian democracy, but could hope. Jefferson, as we must all remember from school, was the advocate and driving force between the elitist federalism form of government. Happily it was put in its place in lieu of a government by and for the people. A sad time for all loyal Americans, this.

I am disappointed that our great leader Pres. Bush fails to recognize that illegal surveillance performed by telecom companies may have jeopardized so many innocent American lives during the course of its execution.

I am horrified because of Pres. Bush's position on this issue, telecom companies still continue to brazenly perform illegal surveillance.

I am relieved that Democrats have for once shown that they have the will to stand up and take stance against illegal activities performed by the telecom companies.

Many good comments above, and I heartily echo the sentiment that FINALLY! the Dems -- at least the House Dems -- have grown a pair and stood their ground and defended the American People and the Constitution! Let's hope they continue to stand firm and perhaps by that convince their cowardly Senate brethren and sisters to rethink their mistaken priorities.

But the REAL issue here isn't about "protecting America from terrorists", nor giving protection to the telecoms...it's about protecting Bush and his minions, pure and simple. If the telecoms are prosecuted -- as they should be -- and found guilty, then it paves the way for finding Bush and his delegates guilty as well since he and they were the initiators of the crimes.

This all should've begun 13 months ago when the Dems majority in Congress kicked in. While Pelosi and Reid held onto the delusion that they could actually accomplish ANYTHING by working with Bush and the discredited Republicans, they wasted valuable time in gaining impeachment of Bush and Cheney who have done nothing but continued to sink America into the abyss.

he are an unprosecuted felon, infact every male member of familiy and cousins are felons...

search on bush crime family

it goes back over a 100 years... AMERICA ??? he could care less, it's what he has in fact demonstrated.

.SEC FRAUD. aided and abetted by current Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates

1986: In the nick of time, Bush and partners merge the failing Spectrum with Harken Oil, a Dallas exploration company, with a $2 million stock purchase. Bush puts up about $500,000 and gets a $120,000 annual consulting fee along with $131,250 in stock options. Harken is a small outfit, looking for oil opportunities within the U.S. Then out of the blue comes Harvard Management Corporation, an investment adviser for Harvard University's endowment portfolio. It pumps millions into the venture.

â€¢ 1990: Although Harken has no international expertise, it gets the attention of the Bahrain National Oil Company, which unexpectedly appears on the scene and bypasses big oil's Amoco and Chevron to sign a production agreement with the little Texas concern. The contract grants Harken exclusive rights to what seems to be a promising offshore area squeezed between two productive tracts owned by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The Wall Street Journal speculates Bahrain was trying to cozy up to Daddy Bush, who was plotting an assault on Iraq after Saddam Hussein seized Kuwait.

Bass Enterprises Production Company finances the Bahrain drilling with $25 million, and Harvard Management raises its investment. A couple of members of the Fort Worth Bass family have places on Team 100, an elite business group contributing to the Republican National Committee.

In June, Harken drills two dry holes in Bahrain. The future looks bleak. Dubya dumps two-thirds of his Harken holdings (212,140 shares), for $848,560. He uses some of this money to buy into the Texas Rangers baseball club. This is a lot of stock to dump on the market all at once, and brokers say it was purchased by an unnamed institutional investor.

That August, Harken posts a loss of $23 million.

â€¢ January 1991: Daddy Bush attacks Iraq.

â€¢ February 1991: Dubya, as the official in charge at Harken, reports his big stock sale to the SEC--eight months late.

â€¢ April 1991: The SEC begins an investigation into Harken dealings. Chairman Richard Breeden, who had been appointed by the senior Bush and served him as an economic policy adviser, hails from Baker & Botts, a big Texas oil law firm where he was a partner. Inside the SEC, James Doty, general counsel and the official in charge of any litigation that might come out of the Harken investigation, is another alumnus of Baker & Botts. And as a private attorney, before joining the government, Doty represented the younger Bush in matters related to Dubya's ownership of the Rangers.

The good people of Baker & Botts continued looking out for Shrub. Since 1993, Breeden, Doty, and other lawyers there have given him $182,050 for his various political campaigns, making the firm one of his biggest supporters.(12)

Upon _appointment_ as president, Bush appoints 6 IRAN - CONTRA DEFENDANTS some felony charged, to his staff,
and then PROCEEDS TO fill the upper levels of the White house and pentagon with senior members of the PNAC including his speech writer, chief advisor, secretary of defense, and vice president.

Uses the terrorist attacks of 9-11 to illegally invade and occupy Iraq under the false pretense of imminent threat and reaps $GAZILLIONS$ for

Momentum in tiny caucuses does not decide an election early. WE THE PEOPLE HAVE NOT COMPLETED OUR SENTENCE. But we will - and it will end with the words Hillary Clinton, Madame President.

Mr. Obama is WAY ahead of himself. In ego the size of NY and CA -- but he didn't win those states. He is a totally cocky man.

He and his "handlers" say he's won already. Well, take a clue from that. The voice of the People has not spoken -- but he assumes his is the over riding voice. See any similarities to his love of speeches without conversations? The answer is yes, you do. He has been riding a wave of charm - and he has been flattering anyone who will listen. But he has no substance.

Obama makes speeches -- Hillary will make REAL CHANGE happen for average (Dunkin Donut) Americans. And that is what the Democratic (non-latte) Party is about!!!

GOD BLESS AMERICA. AND ELECT THIS PHENOMINAL AND BRILLIANT WOMAN. She is a gift.

Hold firm, Democrats. Please keep your nerve and stand up to Bush, just this once, PLEASE!

The will of the American people is to stop Bush from subverting the constitution and spying on us. The will of the American people is to tell King George that just because he wants it to be so, doesn't mean its legal or right. The will of the people is to get rid of the arrogant, unprincipled GOP madmen who've half-wrecked this country in 7 short years.

Just yesterday I was cursing the House because Roger Clemmens seemed to me a waste of public time (of course, I'm a biased Sox fan).
But good for them today, I can only hope that they take this thing all the way. I would be very disappointed to see a show like this followed by the bill's eventual passage.
That said, I have to politicize this. Yesterday's Senate vote was telling. Barack Obama voted for the Dodd-Feingold amendment against retroactive immunity. When that failed, he voted against the Senate version. Hillary Clinton did not vote on either.
I believe this is yet another example of the kind of unprincipled, play it safe politics that we could expect from President H. R. Clinton. This is also one more reason I'm glad that I voted for Obama on Tuesday.
The Democrats in the House are bringing credit to their party. Democrats in the states that have yet to vote will bring it credit by nominating Barack Obama.

Thinker,
Read my previous comment. This is no occasion for the Clinton campaign to rejoice. She will have to answer for her absence in the upcoming debates, not to mention the upcoming primary in Wisconson. Break on through to the other side. Support Obamacracy friend.

Everyone should read this this Commentor's excellent summary on the Bush crime family I believe just a few posts before this one.

Bush should get on his plane and go visit Africa. Oh, but wait there are Chertoff's dreams of threats and McConnell weighing in, or and I forgot Cheney and just about everyone who signed PNAC (Rumsfield) and the upper echelons of Defense and State (where they just caught 1 of several spies giving our secrets to the Chinese) (oh I just have to put in here the Siebel Edmonds recent information release on those names she found in the Turkish spy scandal which Gonzales and now Mucassey would never touch).

Everyone who is responsible for our situation is in or has been in the Federal Government by now.

Bush, the bully, the 3rd generation of a Prescott Bush who was a nazi sympathizer and financier... the profits passed down on blood of those who perished in the death camps. But wait, that's not all, the Bush Gang including Allan Dulles all worked to fund BOTH the Russians and the Germans in WWII. I.G. Farban Gas for the Germans. Steel ball bearings for the Russians. Whatever, it was all about power and money for the few.

Today, we see the House standing up against the same kind of tyranny - Bush has been pushed to this point by those in PNAC, by those of elitist views with 17 generations of "entitlement" stamped on their souls.

Apparently, they are a bit upsent that the voice of the American People has been heard at least today, in the House of Representatives.

Cut and Run Republicans, dash off to your cozy offices and shared dalliances, you won't be there much longer. Cut and Run away from the very duty you swore that is to uphold the consitution of this United States. I say every one of you who dishonored this country today and fled the house should be listed on the front page of every news media tomorrow morning.

I want to know the names of those who thumbed their nose at our voices.

George Bush figures that the best way of countering the terrorists "who hate our freedoms" is to make sure we have no freedoms in America left to hate.

Very clever Georgie boy.

FISA ALREADY allows a warrant to be issued up to 72 hours AFTER the spying takes place.

But the Republicans don't want to have to follow laws at all. Next they will probably try to make a new law allowing them to molest children with impunity. Of course the will call it something cute like the "Safety for Children Bill", "Child Patriots" or perhaps "No Child's Behind Left".

The Congressional Republicans began abdicating their responsibilities 7 years ago. They have done nothing in all th at time but enable a bunch of law-breaking thugs over and over again, enriching themselves considerably in the process. Righteous indignation ill becomes them--disrupting a memorial service for a fellow Congressman and holocaust victim is just about their speed. They are vile, loathsome and contemptible.

CosmopolitanUS,
You know who won't be on your list of Republicans who walked out? Ron Paul. Not only did he not walk out, he voted to hold Bolton and Meirs in contempt of Congress.
Now me and Rep. Paul may have our differences, but he's a stand-up American and my favortite Republican.

Issues like this will keep a Republican in the White House. Democrats are barking up the wrong tree...The icing on the cake is that Barak and Clinton both avoided voting on this crucial issue. The dems have themselves put the nail in their own political coffins with this issue. Each news cycle that this issue gets media attention is another swing of the hammer--the nails are sealing the coffin tightly for victories 2008. This could have a payday too for House and Senate races too....
Dems are either ignoring the polling data on this one or they are just plain ignorant....

"Failure to act would harm our ability to monitor new terrorist activities and could re-open dangerous gaps in our intelligence." (Bush)

Those intelligence gaps are already obviously wide open, and they open wider and yawn more dangerously every time Bush speaks in public. We have the country's first mentally handicapped President now in office.

charko,
Correction.
Obama did vote on the intelligence bill. He voted nay.
You are right though, Clinton did not. So we agree there.
I wouldn't hold my breath for a Republican majority any time soon though. Unless, Clinton is the nominee. If it goes to Obama, Obamacrats, like myself, will show up on election day. I'll be voting for progressive policies down the line.

All you neo-nazi pacifist, liberal politically (in)correct, gay-loving, godless, stupid idiot democrats only want to eat each other and reward those pooor, mistreated terrorists, boo hoo. Why don't you all vote for the stupid muslim HUSSEIN OBAMA BIN LADEN while he fux all your white women.

Oh, by the way, this former Republican for 40 odd years is working hard to make this criminal, traitorous party a very small footnote in history. Something like was created bt Lincoln, one of the greatest Presidents and killed by George, the acknowledged worse President!

Great theatrics by the GOP in Congress. I just wish they would keep walking. If I understand this issue, President Bush is willing to put American lives in danger in order to protect communications companies. I frankly don't get it. Why make this permanent, just extend the thing for a year. No legislation should be permanent in my mind. The country changes, so should the laws adapt. I would call his bluff and extend the thing for one year. If he vetoes an extension, it will be on his hands, the Congress will have done its job. I move that Bush and Cheney should take an early out from their terms. Could Bush have screwed up things any worse in his presidency?

Way to go Charko! You've revealed yourself to be one of those mindless Repubs. You are an idiot, sir!! Barak DID vote on the issue, and obviously you, like the rest of the Repukes, have your head buried in the sand or up Bish's A**! If you really were following the news you would see from public opinion that come November, there will be a house cleaning in the House and Senate and a lot of Repukes are going to be in the unemployment line. NEVER again the elitest Repukes ever get the chance to trample on the American people and their rights. You might need to look for a job too!!

The anger and bile written here are very unattractive, and for the most part not thoughtful.

I don't see the advantage to looking backward and destroying large companies for the sake of trial lawyers.

I would prefer that we look forward and lay down guidelines going forward. My understanding is that the warrantless wiretaps only apply to calls in which one party is in another country and a suspected terrorist, not domestic to domestic calls.

I don't agree with making these warrantless wiretaps permanent, because they should be reviewed and debated every few years for sure.

I'm very sorry--Obama and Clinton did not vote on the water boarding bill-I'm allowed one mistake in my life-lol--it's been a busy day here at the office.
...anyway...
All issues related to National Defense and National Security are all polling against the dems. Liberals in congress are not gaining traction on the issues that the American people will be voting on in 2008. You guys have access to polls the same way I do...Look at them yourselves.
The Dem nominee will have to deal with their own voting records and statements, representations regarding their stands-"non-stands" on the security of the country. There is a plethora of video and audio of both candidates that is very damaging to them. It creates a profile that National Security issues are not that important to them. You will see....I'm usually right on this stuff.
Story board concept ads are being gathered as we speak. stay tuned....the general will be fun...we will be taking swift boat advertising to new heights. The American people need to have all knowledge...

Common Sense wrote: "I don't see the advantage to looking backward and destroying large companies for the sake of trial lawyers."

It really isn't about trial lawyer, it is about letting companies know that you can't cave into the government. Now it is the Republicans, but what do you think the Democrats would do. You see we have laws that need to be followed and obeyed or else you have anarchy. Allowing the telcos immunity is the same as saying You broke the law but that is OK. They would do it again if the next government asked them knowing they will most likely get immunity again.

Now one more thing: Why do you feel it is only for the benefit of trial lawyers? This is what the GOP has been trying to convince everyone of.

evidence: "I will see that whoever endangered Valarie Plame, does the time the crime calls for...you have my word as President of these United States, I am the President and I keep my word...after all I'm a Bush....whose grandfather backed the Nazis to win WWII and then became a senator...." and he sleeps with Bandar Bush...

Someone needs to ask Bush & Co. why they find immunity for the telcos more important than national security. The immunity language should be completely stripped from the FISA legislation because one has nothing to do with the other. One is a national security matter and the other is a criminal matter.

Let the immunity legislation go through congress on its own and see just how far it gets. I would suspect that anyone that votes in favor of it will be out of a job soon.

In the interim, move a "clean bill" on FISA through with hast. If Bush vetoes it, then congress should make it clear that Bush would rather protect his telco friends than protect our national security.

Hey libs this is election year tactics once again. All you libs leave the country, its your Speaker who is letting the House go without dealing with our nations intrests. By the way you beltway bumms are sending our nation to hell in a handbasket because of your power hungry polatics.
Hey elect Hillary she doesn't even go through Congress when she wants to do something she has her henchmen like Berger go steal.

I've been looking through the comments made about this article and its no wonder why America suffers from an over-politicized atmosphere. I'm embarrassed to see people over react and chew out people in our government, calling them criminals and everything equating to the anti-Christ.

I'm not going to deny my disappointment in Bush as our President, and theres no question that he's screwed up during his Administration. But who probably has the toughest job in the world? The President of the United States. And try naming one who hasn't made a mistake during their tenure. I guarantee whoever is elected in Nov. 2008, Clinton, McCain, or Obama, they're all going to screw up royally at some point.

Don't let the rhetoric of a partisan Congress that has an approval rating of 15% ... (just let that number sink in) ... according to a usually generous Rasmussen Report let you start demonizing people or parties. Both sides of Congress equally have plenty to be ashamed of. Let's not fuel their partisanship anymore by following their lead.
So with all due respect, if theres anyone to blame about the woes of our government, its us as voters who have continued to vote in people who care more about pride than progress.

I would let it expire and when the next attack comes and we find out we could have stopped it weapons like this we can blame the dims and the clowns on here. Can you just feel the hate in here, too bad these lefty's don't hate the real enemy.

Oh, by the way, this former Republican for 40 odd years is working hard to make this criminal, traitorous party a very small footnote in history. Something like was created bt Lincoln, one of the greatest Presidents and killed by George, the acknowledged worse President!

Posted by: Chaotician | February 14, 2008 08:32 PM

You always have to believe those clowns that start off with I use to be a republican or I used to be a dim. We believe you buddy. LOL

"I would let it expire and when the next attack comes and we find out we could have stopped it weapons like this we can blame the dims and the clowns on here. Can you just feel the hate in here, too bad these lefty's don't hate the real enemy."

I agree. Let's hate the real enemy. The one stopping the bill passing.

George W. Bush.

The Democrats will surely pass a CLEAN bill. Whether or not I agree, they'll renew FISA as it exists now, or with necessary changes.

The only person insisting on having telco immunity in is Bush. He says he will veto a straight renewal of the rules we have now. (which have kept us safe for several years-try arguing they're not good enough).

He's the one threating to veto the rules as they are now, or as you say, the "real enemy"

And, to make it very simple, the reason the telcos are being sued is that they broke the law. If they were acting pursuant to warrants, the cases against them would be dismissed in MINUTES.

attack campaigning??? CIA TACTICS used in_country against the citizenship ???

isn't that _ILLEGAL_ david ????

Cheney smartly exploited his relationship with Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., who was chairman of the Iran-contra panel. Hamilton cared deeply about his reputation for bipartisanship and the Republicans quickly exploited this fact.

A senior committee source said one of Cheney's top priorities was to block Democrats from deposing Vice President Bush about his Iran-contra knowledge. Cheney "kept trying to intimidate Hamilton," the source said. "He kept saying if we go down that road, we won't have bipartisanship."

So, Hamilton gave Bush a pass. The limited investigation also gave little attention to other sensitive areas, such as contra-drug trafficking and the public diplomacy operation. They were pared down or tossed out altogether.

Despite surrendering to Cheney's demands time and again, Hamilton failed, in the end, to get a single House Republican to sign the final report.

Only three moderate Republicans on the Senate side - Warren Rudman, William Cohen and Paul Trible - agreed to sign the report, after extracting more concessions. Cheney and the other Republicans submitted a minority report that denied that any significant wrongdoing had occurred.

The watered-down Iran-contra majority report essentially let Vice President Bush off the hook. Bush's political career was saved.

With the Iran-contra scandal contained, Bush mounted a 1988 presidential campaign that set the modern standard for negativity, race-baiting and a win-at-all-cost ethic. In 1989, Cheney became Bush's defense secretary.

This guy is out of control...Congress, please keep him in check. We are all interested in knowing how many laws Bush has broken and which jail he will be served for breaking the constitution.

Regarding that walk out...boy, this republicans are as stupid as they get. Can you at least try to reason instead of making a high school show. It is laughable we pay these guys for walking out. I'll be damned to know who votes for these idiots.

Mr. President, you are a pathalogical liar. Please leave this country and don't come back. You represent a clear a present danger to our Nation. You have killed untold thousands and you are the axis of evil along with Dick, Donny and the rest of the Hiltler Youth. You disgust me. Take your eavesdropping bill and shove it.

George says we need the bill to protect Americans from terrorrorrorrists.

OK Congress, pass a bill that will expire at Noon, January 20, 2009. But do NOT include anything in the bill that gives anyone or anything immunity.

Send it to Georgie boy, along with a note that he's free to veto this bill. If he does, though, Congress will NOT take up the bill again until AFTER January 20, 2009.

Either Georgie wants a bill "to protect us from the terrorrorrorrists", or he wants to protect the telcos. This is the way to make it clear to the American people just what Georgie boy wants.

Hint - Georgie boy has already told us that if the bill doesn't pass, the terrorrorrorrists win. But if it does pass without retroactive immunity for the telcos, he'll veto the bill.

So Georgie boy, is it terrorrorrorrists you are afraid of, or what the telcos will do if they don't get immunity? And what do the telcos have on you that makes you more afraid of them than the terrorrorrorrists?

A six year old child in a mans body is the best description of the spoilt snot nosed President George Walker Bush. A very conniving Sociapathic Liar is the best description of this pathetic and incompetent child President.

When he goes to Africa maybe he should stay and become a member of the closest troupe of Chimpanzees of which he would feel at home with as they are of the same intelligence as the Chimp President. Definitely George Walker Bush looks like a Chimpanzee when you compare the different facial expressions that the Chimp President has.

You liberals are as ignorant as you are partisan. This FISA bill that Nancy and the other liberals in the House are playing politics with is 30 years old! I'm reading comments from alot of you morans where it's obvious you think this is the Domestic Intelligence Survelience program. For instance, the genius David writes, "It's not like the work can't get done WITH warrants..." Hey bonehead, this law that the liberals are letting expire provides the legal basis for the courts from where the warrants come! See, the problem with you liberals is your hatred for Bush blinds you to everything else. After 9/11, President Bush has done everything he could to protect the USA. After 9/11, you liberals have done everything you could do to destroy Bush and protect the terrorists. Liberals are more of a threat to this country than terrorists. As a Conservative, I urge all Conservatives to vote for Obama, both in the remaining primaries and in the general election. McCain is not a Conservative. He's hardly a Republican. If McCain's in the White House, and the liberals still control Congress, he's going to sign their half-wit, liberal bills into law. And then when things get really screwed up in this country because of those laws, the press is going to blame McCain, and try to then blame Republicans in general because he has an "R" after his name. And that will signal the beginning of another 30-40 years of liberal rule in Washington. DON'T LET THAT HAPPEN! Let's make sure that a democrat is in the White House to sign those liberal bills. Let's have another slick willie '94 revolt all over again. If the dems are running everything, they will get all the blame. THINK ABOUT IT!!! Don't vote for McCain. The only thing worse than McCain would be schrillary. At least if Obama is President, Carolyn Kennedy's prediction that "people will be inspired by him like they were inspired by my father" will come true, and someone will shoot him in the head! And before you get your panties in a bunge over that, re-read some of the comments made about Bush and Cheney on this site, and suck it up!!!!!

We have 5,000 Americans dying of food poisoning every year. Are we spending hundreds of billions of dollars every year on a war on food poisoning? What about all the school and public shootings of late? Are we spending hundreds of billions each year on a war on crazed non-Muslims killing their fellow Americans? This whole discussion is a fear mongering and out of proportion joke. I am tired of it. Where is the faith of Christian Americans? Is it in their God, or a 1/2 trillion dollar a year defense budget?

President Bush deserves high accolades for his success in defeating the violence in Iraq. Al-Qaeda is back on it's heels and is not able to recruit new terrorists. The current terrorists have extremely low morales due to the continued losses that they are experiencing. Passage of the surveillance bill is imperative due to it's effectiveness in gathering intel not only in Iraq but also other parts of the world which has prevented terrorist attacks in America and abroad. Congress needs to stop playing politics with the safety and security of Americans... I find it disgustingly repulsive-bordering on treasonous. When America is attacked it will be traced back to the lack of intel because of what the radical liberals in congress have done. The blood of Americans will be on the hands of anyone who blocks this legislation.

You liberals are really deluded. President Bush is a caring man who is trying to protect us and you support blocking a bill that will offer that protection. If you don't mind endangering yourself and your kids, then that's too bad. But this bill affects all of us. Your brainwashed attitude is simply dangerous.

The number one job of the president of the U.S. is to protect Americans from any foreign enemy. His methods have worked in an outstanding manner. He is doing his number one job in a superb manner.
Do you non believing liberals need proof of how well President Bush is doing his job? How many years since 9/11?? How many terrorist attacks since 9/11?

Thank God our president has his priorities correct...I can only hope and pray the next president will have the same goal:
Protect America First...Worry about everything else after this.